The invention relates to a broad-band communication system comprising an optical broad-band cable network arranged between an exchange and a plurality of subscribers stations. The system comprises optical fibers which starting from the exchange and traveling towards the subscriber's stations, are combined in ever smaller bundles. Eventually, the bundles only incorporate the optical fibers intended for the connection to a single subscriber's station. Each bundle from the exchange is split at branching points into two or more individual outgoing bundles.
Such a broad-band communication system is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2818656. In this system, the bundles are split into smaller bundles in splicing sleeves.
In a local distribution network, bundles will be split in a cabinet or in a sleeve at many places along the path between the exchange and the subscriber station. When splicing optical cables, a given attenuation factor is produced per splice. This factor may be, for example, 0.5 dB. If, for example, a splice has to be made every 300 meters on the average, then along a path of, for example 4 km, 7 dB extra attenuation is caused by the splices. In addition, splicing large numbers of optical fibers is very time-consuming and expensive.